Aston Villa: £80m target could ease Emiliano Buendia blow

The Villans could relieve Buendia’s injury woes with a significant market move.

Aston Villa could sign a replacement for Emiliano Buendia, as an improved update has surfaced regarding one of the club’s long-term targets.

After such an encouraging summer in both the transfer window and pre-season games, Unai Emery was slapped with reality in the Premier League, losing 5-1 on the opening day to Newcastle United, and losing centre-back Tyrone Mings in the process.

The Englishman suffered a significant knee injury, just days after the news of Buendia’s serious anterior cruciate ligament blow, leaving Emery without two of his starters for the foreseeable future.

There have been a few names circulating to suggest who the Villans could target to replace the Argentine, with one name re-emerging from earlier in the summer.

Who could Aston Villa sign to replace Emiliano Buendia?

It looks as though Galatasaray attacker Nicolo Zaniolo could be on the way to Villa Park, with Fabrizio Romano revealing an update on the Italian’s move to the Midlands this week.

The 24-year-old isn’t the only one said to be in reaching distance to Emery and Monchi, with recurring window target Joao Felix cropping up as a potential arrival.

Back in June, it was reported by Football Insider that the Villans were offered the Atletico Madrid outsider, with a fresh update from journalist Rudy Galetti emerging.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Galetti claimed that the £80m Portuguese star is on the club’s “radar” and is an option Villa “would like to explore”, adding that the 23-year-old dynamo could be open to a move to the Midlands.

“Also because the player would like to play again in the Premier League and the project that Unai Emery and the new sporting director Monchi are carrying out could facilitate his move to Aston Villa. But at the moment this is just an idea,” he said.

How good is Joao Felix?

Sometimes it’s difficult to forget that Felix is just 23-years-old, considering the influence he’s had in European football already in his budding career.

This is due to the fact that the dynamic forward was snatched from Benfica at the age of 19 by Atletico Madrid, for a fee of £113m, to solidify just how highly regarded his talents were.

With 107 domestic goal contributions already recorded, as well as securing 31 caps and five goals for the national team, the future is bright for Felix, no matter how uncertain it may seem.

The former Benfica starlet spent half of last season in the Premier League on loan at Chelsea, and could be in for a magnificent return to the English top-flight should Villa submit an attractive offer.

Having once been as being a “nightmare for defenders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the versatile forward could be the perfect signing for Emery, not only as a statement due to his quality, but primarily as a replacement for Buendia.

The role that the Argentine plays in Emery’s side is almost free-roaming, with him having the ability to be deployed both on the flank and in behind the striker.

As per FBref, the Portuguese sensation has the skills in his locker to make a difference in the final third in Buendia’s absence, averaging 4.50 progressive passes and 2.10 successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League last term.

Felix also recorded an average of 1.53 shots on target per 90 for Chelsea, suggesting the 23-year-old could be a stronger threat than the Villa ace, who averaged just 0.41 shots on target per 90 last season.

The signing would be an audacious one for the club, however with interest reported from Saudi Arabia, the Villans must make a decision fast to lure the former Blues loanee away from the lucrative benefits of the Pro League.